Ice-skate.



F. E. BROWN.

ICE SKATE. APPLICATION FILED I/IAII. so. lsu.

Patented May14, 1918.

INVENTOH wITNE'ssEs ATTORNEY FRANK E. BROWN, OF WEBSTER CITY, IOWA.

ICE-SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application filed March 30, 1917. Serial No. 158,677.

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK E. BROWN, a citizen .of the United States,residing at W'ebster City, in the county of Hamilton and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Skates, ofwhich the following is a specication.

This invention relates to an improvement in ice skates, and moreparticularly to a structure of this sort in which the parts'areadjustable to thus permit the use of the skate upon a long or a shortshoe.

An object of my invention is to provide a skate comprising a blade orrunner together with heel and toe plates, one of which, at least, isadjustable along the length of the runner to thus permit variation ofthe relative spacing of the heel and toe plates to accommodate the skatefor use upon shoes of different lengths.

A further object lies in providing fastening means by which the movableand adjustable parts are secured in rigid mounting when the desiredadjustment has been obtained.

Yet another object resides in 'providing clamp means or securing meansfor fastening the skate upon the shoe, and which means is so arrangedthat both the heel and toe portions of the skate will be properly heldin place irrespective of the adjustment which may be made between theheel and toe plates.

A still further object is to provide a novel form of heel clamp which isadapted to be tightened by the use of a key formed in conjunction withthe clamp structure and adapted to be manipulated to secure a highlyeiicient clamping action.

With the above and other objects in view which will be in part describedand in part understood from the specification, drawings and claims, myinvention consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a skateconstructed after the manner of my invention' Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view taken through the toe plate and the means by which thesame is mounted upon the runner;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 to bettershow the heel plate and the mounting of the same;

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing the runner;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View through the heel portion of theskate and taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6l is a perspective view showing the heel clamping member; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the clamp screw for the heel clamp andshowing the winding and tightening key therefor.

The runner 1, which might be of the straight or hockey type, or rockershape, or of racing design, is shaped as is better shownk in Fig. 4L andis provided with the elongated slotted openings 2 and 3 adjacent theforward end, a plurality of openings 4 being provided adjacent theheelend of the runner. The slotted openings 2 and 3 and the openings 4 arepreferably alined,

although it will of course be understood that whether or notl theseopenings may be n alinement will depend somewhat upon the design or typeof the runner.

A toe plate 5 has the plates 6 and 7 riveted or otherwise secured on thelower side thereof to extend downwardly and with the eX- tensions spacedapart a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of therunner l. As is shown, these plates 6 and 7 are made elongated and areprovided with forward and rear extensions so that when the runner isfitted between the plates, the slotted openings 2 and 3 are entirelycovered. Clamp bolt receiving openings 8 are formed through one of theplates extending from the toe plates 5, and the remaining plate hasregistering screw threaded openings 9 formed therein so that as theclamp bolts 10 are passed through the openings 8 and through the slottedopenings 2 and 3, they may be screwed into the threaded open` ings 9 andthus the plates 6 and 7 can be brought to bear against the sides of therunners while the bolts 10 support the toe plate 5 at a predeterminedheight above the sharpcned edge of the runner, through their bearingagainst the lower sides of the slotted openings 2 and 3. In the presentinstance I have shown the clamp bolts 10 as being disposed substantiallycentrally within the slotted openings 2 and 3, in which position theintermediate adjustments of the toe plate may he accomplished, however,it will be understood that the toe plate together with the plates 6 and7 might be moved and adthrough the openings et of the ruimer'.

justed either forwardly or rearwardly to substantially the positionsindicated by the dotted lines.

A heel plate 11 has the clamp plates 12Y and 13 secured on the lowerside thereof and extending downwardly in spaced relation, the spacebetween these plates beingleft suiiicient so that the upper edge of therunner 1 in that portion having the openings l therethrough can beloosely fitted between these plates. The clamp plates 12 and 13 areprovided with forward and rear tongues which are made of suiiicientextent that they overlie the openings 4, and thus the openings will becovered and one of these clamp plates is provided with the clamp boltreceiving openings 14 whereas the remaining plate has the Screw threadedopenings 15 formed therein to register' with the openings 14. Clampbolts 16 are provided to be received through the openings 14 of theela-mp plate and to be turned into the screw threaded openings 15 of theremaining plate following passage t will of course be understood thatthe openings 4 and the openings 14 and 15 must be spaced apart yin suchrelation that they will register', and then by moving the heel plateeither forward or back and securingthe clamp bolts in the manner setforth, the heel plate will be rigidly mounted in conjunction with therunner.

As has been stated, it is a purpose of my invention to provide heel andtoe plates in conjunction with a runner and to so mount the parts thatat least one of the plates is adjustable along the length of the runnerto thus give desired variation to adapt the same skate for use andsecurement upon different lengths of shoes. For instance, the skate asillustrated might be so constructed that it would be adaptable as anumber 94,10- 10:5, by simply making adjustment of the heel or toeplate, or both, after slacking the clamp bolts or screws, and the partsmay be again tightened and rigidly mounted together by retightening ofthese clamp bolts.

As the heel and toe plates are not intended to at all times occupy thesame relative spacing apart, it is desirable that separa-te fasteningmeans be provided to secure the skate upon a shoe at the toe and at theheel. With this in mind, provide upon the toe plate 5, the clamp members17 which are tightened by means of the right and left handed screw 18.This screw 18 has the end thereof squared as shown at 19, or made ofother suitable polygonal form, and by t-he use of a key the screw can beturned to draw in or extend the clamp members 17. These clamp` membersare of a form now commonly used, and it will be understood that theygrip against the side edges of a shoe sole and are provided withextensions which hook over the welt edge of the sole.

The heel plate 11 has a hook-like clamping extension 20 formed on theforward part thereof to engage with the forward side of a shoe heel, anda heel clamping member generally indicated by the reference character 21is provided with a cored out extension adapted to be received betweenthe heel plate 11 and the plates 12, 13, in a manner better' shown inFig. 3, this extension being iiattened on its upper side to have bearingagainst the lower side of the heel plate 11 and to thus hold the entire'structure of the heel clamping member against twisting or turningmovement. Clamping fingers 23 and 24; are provided on the member 21 toeX- tend upwardly in positions spaced slightly upon each side of theextension 22, and at their extreme ends are preferably provided withtoothed forn'iations to give a better grip against the rounded portionof a shoe heel. lt is the intention that the clamping members 21 shallbe tightened against the rear portion of the shoe heel and by pressingthe same against the clamping extension on the forward part of the heelplate 11, shall secure the heel portion of the skate in a more or lessrigid mounting upon the heel portion of the shoe, and to accomplish thispurpose I have provided a clamping arrangement. As has been stated, theextension 22 of the member 21 is cored out or bored, and a nut 25 issecured, by riveting or in any other suitable manner on the lower sideof the heel plate 11, forwardly of the clamp plates l2and 13, so thatthe screw threaded opening thereof is in line with the bore or 'coredout opening of the extension 22. A

extension 22 and then project for some di'stance through the nut 25 andat its outer end this clamping screw is lattened out as shown at 27 toprovide a bearing portion. A key 28 is bifurcated at its end asindicated at 29, and the bearing portion 27 of the clamping screw 26 isreceived in this bifurcated opening 29, the rivet or pin 30 beingprovided to mount the key portion upon the clamping screw to be capableof swinging movement and yet to be held against turning movement whenmanipulated to thread the screw 26 into the nut 25 or withdraw the same.This key 28 has the lugs or ears 31 and provided on opposite sides ofthe swinging mounting of the same around the rivet or pin 30 and thus acam face isk provided on the forward 'side of the ke which presents asomewhat broad and flat caring against the heel clamping member21 sothat as the key is turned to cause the clamping screw 2G to be threadedinto the nut 25 and the clamping ngers 23 and 24 clamped against theheel, a firm pressure will be eX- erted thereagainst. Vhen the key 28has been turned to draw the clamping fingers 23 and 24 against the rearportion of the heel and to force the forward side of the heel againstthe clamping extension 20, a suliciently great clamping force mayalready have been exerted, however, the key if left extended woulddoubtless show a tendency to turn and the clamping screw to loosenthrough the constant exertion of the shocks against the skate structure,and to insure that the parts will be heldin this clamped relation and atthe same time to obtain still closer clamping of the lingers andextension against the heel, the key will be turned or swung around ,therivet or pin 30 to bring one of the lugs or ears 31 or 32 against theback portion of the heel clamping member 21 and thus a cam action willbe exerted to draw this heel clamping member in more tightly. By thepeculiar formation of the lugs or ears, the bearing against the same isoffset from the rivet or pin, and consequently the key will not be againaccidentally swung to the extended position, although it may-be veryreadily manually moved to this position and turned to loosen theclamping force exerted against the heel. In the use of the skate, theadjustment of the movable plate to the intermediate position wouldrepresent the middle or intermediate size and extension of the toe plateto the forward position as indicated by the dotted lines, of Fig. 1would cause the skate to take the dimensions of the size above, whereasadjustment to the remaining extreme position as shown by the dottedlines would bring the heel and toe plates to that relation to representthe smaller size of adjustment for the skate. It will of course beunderstood that the heel plate might be adjusted to give additionalvariation to the size, or that the heel plate might be rigidly securedin place and the toe plate alone made adjustable, or the reverse, andfrom the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a skatestructure which is such that parts of uniform size might be made for theheel and toe structure and the variations might be accomplished bylengthening or shortening the runner so that the same heel and toemembers might be applied to runners of different types, and that by theuse of the clamping and securing structure as set forth it is possibleto obtain a uniformly secure fastening in any of the adjusted sizes.

1While in the foregoing I have set forth the structure as being composedof parts constructed after a certain manner and then assembled in aprescribed way, and have illustrated only one form of the parts, it willbe understood that a num-ber of changes and variations might be resortedto in the form and arrangement of the several members,

and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact disclosure but onlyto such points as may be set forth in the claims.

I claim:-

1. An ice skate comprising a runner, heel and toe plates one of which isadjustable, a pair of flexible plates secured on the lower side of theadjustable plate to extend downwardly and with the extension spacedapart a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of therunner, said runner on that end on which the adjustable plate is to bemounted having openings formed therethrough, one of the pair of platesbeing provided with clamp bolt receiving openings and the remainingplate having screwthreaded openings therethrough registering with theopenings of the irst mentioned plate, and clamp bolts passed through thebolt receiving openings and the openings of the runner and then screwedinto the threaded openings to draw in the flexible plates and clamp thesame in rigid mounting on the runner.

2. An ice skate comprising a runner, heel and toe plates one of which isadjustable, a pair of flexible plates secured on the lower side of theadjustable plate to extend downwardly and with the extension spacedapart a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of therunner, said runner on that end on which the adjustable plate is to bemounted having openings formed therethrough, one of the pair of platesbeing provided with clamp bolt receiving openings v and the remainingplate having screwthreaded openings therethrough registering with theopenings of the irst mentioned plate, clamp bolts passed through thebolt receiving openings and the openings of the ruimer and then screwedinto the threaded openings to draw in the flexible plates and clamp thesame in rigid mountingon the runner, the plates carried by theadjustable plate having forward and rear extensions provided thereonadjacent the openings of the runner to completely cover these openingsin any setting of the adjustable plate, and securing means carried bythe heel and toe plates by which the skate is secured upon a shoe. A

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK E. BROWN. lVitnesses NANCY MCMURRAY, B. L. Bnrrson.`

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. C.

